1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a pneumatically operated seacock and, more particularly, to a pneumatically operated valve for opening and closing an inlet water passage through the hull of a boat for providing cooling water to an engine cooling system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many different water management systems are well known to those skilled in the art of marine vessel designs. It is also well known to provide a conduit and valve, or seacock, that allows water to pass upwardly or inwardly through the hull of a marine vessel to provide water for various purposes. These purposes can include the provision of water for use in toilets, sinks, and showers. The purpose can also include providing cooling water for a cooling system of a marine propulsion device used to power the marine vessel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,947,047, which issued to Sigler on Sep. 7, 1999, describes a seacock interlocking system. A boat has a seacock operatively attached to the hull and movable between open and closed positions. The seacock is operatively connected to a discharge pump, which in turn is connected to a sewage holding tank. An electrical switch is actuated in response to the position of the seacock, and control circuitry is connected to the seacock electrical switch and the discharge pump to prevent operation of the pump if the seacock is closed or in any position aside from fully open. An indicator, such as one or more light emitting diodes, is also actuated in response to the seacock electrical switch position, and another indicator, such as one or more light emitting diodes, is connected to the discharge pump and indicates when that pump is operating. The electrical switch is waterproof and meets marine vessel ignition prevention and electromagnetic compatibility requirements, and typically is actuated in response to the position of a manually actuable handle of the seacock.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,177,971, which issued to Landamore on Dec. 11, 1979, describes a seacock valve. A valve comprising a hollow cylindrical body with a valve opening at one end and a valve seat around the valve opening is described. A valve member is movable towards and away from the valve seat in a spindle which passes through a spindle opening opposite the valve opening. A handle is provided on the outer end of the valve spindle and has a screw threaded counterbore which is engageable with a screw threaded spigot on the outside of the valve around the spindle opening to hold the valve member in the closed position. In this position the end face of the valve member is flush with the outside of the valve around the valve opening. The upper side of the valve member has a screw threaded counterbore engageable with a screw treaded spigot on the inside of the valve around the spindle opening to hold the valve in the open state and form a seal around the spindle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,697,535, which issued to Wileman, III on Oct. 6, 1987, describes a marine safety system. The system comprises a first switch adapted to be activated by rising water in a ship""s hull, and solenoid valves adapted to be operated by the switch and adapted to close seacocks in the hull of the ship in a preferred sequence.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,343,965, which issued to Biggs et al on Feb. 5, 2002, discloses a pneumatically actuated marine engine water drain system. The drain system for a marine vessel is provided which includes one or more pressure actuated valves associated with the coolant water drain system. The boat operator is provided with a pressure controller that allows pressure to be introduced into the system for the purpose of actuating the drain valves and, as a result, opening various drain conduits to allow cooling water to drain from the engine cooling system into the bilge or overboard.
The patents described above are hereby expressly incorporated by reference in the description of the present invention.
Certain types of marine vessels, such as inboard drives, are typically provided with one or more seacocks to allow water to flow inwardly through an opening in the hull of the marine vessel to supply water to various components, such as the cooling system of a marine engine. A common type of seacock is manually operable and comprises a ball valve that is rotatable about an axis in response to the manual movement of an external lever. Since the seacock is typically positioned in the bilge and close to the inside surface of the marine vessel""s hull, it is often in a very difficult location to access. It would therefore by significantly beneficial if a system could be provided that would allow the operator of a marine vessel to cause the seacock to open or close without having to physically access the seacock in the bilge of the marine vessel.
A water management system for a marine vessel, made in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, comprises a water conduit which is connectable in fluid communication with a passage extending through a hull of the marine vessel. It also comprises a pressure actuated valve disposed in fluid communication with the water conduit. A controller is connected in fluid communication with the pressure actuated valve and a pressure conduit is connected in fluid communication between the pressure actuated valve and the controller. The controller has an inlet for introducing pressure into the pressure conduit. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the controller and the inlet are placed at a convenient location where the operator of a marine vessel can easily provide pressure into the pressure conduit for the purposes of actuating or deactuating the pressure actuated valve. Depending on the intended application of the present invention, the pressure actuated valve can comprise a spring return that results in the valve either being normally opened or normally closed.
The controller comprises an internal manifold connected in fluid communication with the pressure conduit and a pressure indicator for indicating a change in pressure within the pressure conduit. The present invention can further comprise an engine having an internal cooling system within a block of the engine, with the water conduit being connected in fluid communication with the internal cooling system. The pressure actuated valve can be a seacock or, alternatively, it can be connected in serial fluid communication with a seacock. The pressure actuated valve can be a pneumatically controlled valve. In one embodiment of the present invention, the controller is configured to be provided with pressure from a manually operated pump, such as a bicycle pump. The manual pump can operate as a source of pressure which is connected in fluid communication with the controller. A pressure relief mechanism is connected in fluid communication with the controller so that the operator of a marine vessel can easily and quickly release pressure from the present invention and, as a result, deactuate the pneumatically operated valve. The pressure relief mechanism is manually actuated to relieve pressure within the controller and the pressure conduit in order to deactivate the pressure actuated valve.
A particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention can further comprise a cooling water manifold having internal passages and connected in fluid communication with the internal cooling system within the block of the engine. The cooling water manifold is disposed below the level of the lowest portion of the internal cooling system which normally retains cooling water when the engine is not operating. The pressure actuated valve comprises a pneumatic piston in a preferred embodiment. The pneumatic piston is alternatively moveable to a first position which prevents flow through the water conduit and a second position which allows flow through the water conduit.